Radiographic features of Ollier's disease - two case reports

Ollier's disease is a non-hereditary, benign bone tumor which is usually characterized by presence of multiple radiolucent lesions (enchondromas) in the metaphysis of long bones with unilateral predominance. The disease is a rare clinical entity with 1/100000 occurrence in early childhood. Patients mostly present with multiple hard swellings and deformity of the tubular bones specially hands and feet with leg discrepancy and pathologic fractures.

We present two cases of Ollier's disease in a 13 years old female and 8 years old boy which had no specific symptoms. The girl had multiple hard swellings and deformity in the fingers of both hands and left toes with left leg deformity and discrepancy. Her plain radiographs demonstrated multiple expansile enchondromas in the phalanges of hands, left toes and metaphyses of upper humeri as well as left leg bones. The enchondromas were also noted in the left iliac bone and anterior end of ribs. The boy had bowing deformity and shortage of left leg with multiple enchondromas in the metaphyses of left femur, left tibia and fibula as well as left iliac bone in his radiographic images.

Ollier's disease is usually diagnosed by clinical signs and typical location of enchondromas across skeleton in conventional radiography. It usually does not need specific treatment. Well understanding of the clinical manifestation and radiographic features can prevent unnecessary application of other imaging modalities; while other diagnostic imaging modalities like MRI, ultrasound and scintigraphy can be used in complicated and painful conditions.